Scholarships in Greece: the best scholarship programs for foreign students

Greece is a country with a long academic tradition. This legacy of high-quality education in a beautiful and historic setting makes it an attractive destination for international students. However, despite quite a low cost of living and cost of study, some students still may face financial barriers to pursuing their studies in the country. And aiming to offer equal opportunity to Greek as well as international students, scholarships can be found at various levels to sort of reduce the financial burden on students in Greece. In this article, we will explore some of the top scholarships available to international students in Greece. We’ll see as well the forms of financial support they can get and what are the requirements.

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Aristotle University of Thessaloniki scholarships

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is one of the top universities in Greece. That being said, the institution provides several scholarships for international students at undergraduate, postgraduate and research level. The amount as well as the number of grants are fixed by the university’s Rectors’ Council. And they get approval upon the proposal of the Studies Committee. But as a rule of thumb, students at postgraduate level receive an amount that is 30% above what undergraduate students get.

As for the requirements, candidates must abide by rules set by the university’s Scholarships Regulation. This includes among other conditions for candidates to not be a Greek-descend. The scholarships are awarded to first and second-year undergraduate students. Moreover, they are extensible for up to 3 academic years at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Any postgraduate student at the university can also apply for these scholarships to fund their studies in Greece. These are available for 1 academic year but extensible for up to 2 years for master’s students. As for PhD students, they can benefit from the grant for up to 3 academic years.

Find out more by visiting the website of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Fulbright Greece scholarships for study / research purpose

US citizens who are looking for scholarships to fund their studies or their research in Greece have the choice between various plans from the Fulbright program. Among them is the Fulbright Study/Research grant, which consists of 5 opportunities of funding for 6 to 9 months. This program targets candidates who recently graduated from university and colleges, or students at master’s and PhD levels who plan to conduct independent research in Greece.

Moreover, the scholarship includes a monthly allowance of $1,300 along with an additional $150 if the applicant has 2 or more dependents. With this amount, the student receives other allowances for settling, book and research materials, baggage, modern Greek language lessons, among others. There are also some specific subjects for which applications are encouraged. Among others, this includes studies in:

Environment and sustainability
Marine sciences
Negotiation and conflict management
Political science
STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)
Transportation science

Learn more by checking the website of Fulbright Greece.

Greece government scholarship through the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY)

An organization that exists since 1951, the Greek State Scholarships Foundation has invested in the growth and modernization of the education system in the country. The foundation did so through mobility scholarships for international students to study in Greece and for Greek students to broaden their skills abroad.

Everything started when the organization had made it their main mission to award young scientists scholarships for postgraduate studies abroad. The program has later extended to those who want to study in Greece also. It has since evolved to implement different kinds of programs targeting various categories of students and programs. That’s how IKY’s undergraduate studies scholarships are mainly provided for diligent low-income students, those with disabilities and those coming from vulnerable social groups.

For postgraduate studies, IKY offers students a unique “2+2” scholarships program, in partnership with the Bank of Greece. This system that has been around since 2014 offers scholars to complete 2 years of postgraduate studies in parallel with a 2-year internship, then a full-time employment for 2 more years. Thus, the name of the program.

Lastly, for research, IKY works in favor of research mobility and international collaboration. That’s why they offer several scholarships for doctorate and postgraduate studies. Along, they partner with other European associations, again in order to support research mobility, in Greece and abroad.

Find out more by visiting the official website of the Greek State Scholarships Foundation.

Scholarships from the American College of Thessaloniki, Greece

International students who want to study at ACT in Greece can apply for 2 types of scholarships.

First, the Study Abroad Merit Scholarship consists of a $1,000 worth reduction on the semester’s tuition fee to study in Greece. Requirements for this scholarship include, as the name of the grant states, to get a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.6/4.0 in their sophomore year in their home country. Applicants then need to provide the proof of this by sending their most recent transcript record to ACT’s admission office. This scholarship remains available during the fall and the spring semesters.

The other option is the Hellenic-American Scholarship, which, this time covers only half the tuition of the eligible applicants. This scholarship is more for Greek students who enrolled in the ACT study abroad program. Lastly, requirements include a GPA of at least 3.0 for the applicants.

Find out more by visiting the website of the American College of Thessaloniki.

Financial support from the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus

This polytechnic institution in Greece provides some support to their undergraduate students in the form of reciprocal grants. The system requires then for the applicants an obligation to work part-time, offering the institution various services for a defined number of hours. Students, then work at the institution’s clinics, laboratories, libraries, student houses, etc.

Moreover, the institute’s Board of Department, may decide to provide students with either a scholarship or a bank loan. Students with serious income problems can then benefit from no interest bank loans. This is under the condition that they successfully pass the compulsory subjects of the previous semester of their studies. The loans take then the form of installments the student receive at the end of each semester that they in return must pay back in 15 years after their studies.

To learn more, visit the website of the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus.

Scholarships from the ALBA Graduate Business School

Envisioning to offer support to the next generation’s leaders, and to promote equal opportunity and meritocracy, Alba offers a few financial assistance programs. These supports are offered to excellent candidates and individuals with serious financial problems. The institution also provides a Corporate Scholarship to some employees of Greek companies and their children. This aims to provide executives the chance to thrive professionally and personally.

Those who wish to pursue business studies at the school, to earn either a master’s or a MBA can also apply for personalized scholarships to study in Greece. As a matter of fact, the school intends to offer its students the maximum chance to invest in themselves in earning their degrees. They offer a flexible payment option for the tuition fees and are committed to examine any scholarship application on a case-by-case basis.